Duplex album leaf for photographic prints



May 5, 1953 w. A. MccABE DUPLEX ALBUM LEAF FOR PHoToGRAPHIc PRINTS Filed Aug. 18, 1950 NVENTOR WALTER McCABE By MM ATTORNEY Patented May 5, 1953 UNITED DUPLEX ALBUM LEAF FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS Walter A. McCabe, East Haddam, Conn., assigner to Ernestine McCabe, East Haddam, Conn.

Application August 18, 1950, Serial No. 180,193

2 Claims. 1

The inventio-n relates to a duplex album leaf for mounting and framing photographic prints, the leaf being adapted for the mounting and framing of two prints at the respective sides thereof. A plurality of similar leaves may be secured in place in an album binder or cover which may be of conventional construction and which does not constitute a part of the present invention.

It has been the prior practice in this art to provide framing mats which are attachable to the main body of the leaf and which carry or are combined with envelopes for containing the prints. The prints are placed 'in the envelopes with the expectation that they will be properli exposed through the framing openings in the mats. However, the envelopes do not closely fit the prints and furthermore they are open at one or both ends, the result being that the prints are not accurately located and held. Either initially or after use the prints are out of proper register with the framing openings and the results are quite unsatisfactory.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an album leaf having a body with front and rear sections, and having means on each body section for accurately locating and holding a print thereon in vertical position or in horizontal position, such locating and holding means being entirely independent of the framing mats.

In accordance with the invention the framing mats merely frame the printsI and cover the edges thereof without being `relied upon or used to locate the prints or to hold them in place.

Another object of the invention is to provide an album leaf having the described characteristics and having an improved main body formed by properly blanking and folding a single sheet of cardboard or other suitable material.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an album leaf having the described characteristics and having novel and advantageous means for locating and holding the prints on the sections of the body.

Still other objects of the invention will be apparent from the drawing and from the following description and claims.

In the drawing I have shown in detail a preferred embodiment of the invention, but it will be understood that various changes may be made from the construction shown, and that the drawing is not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims forming a part of this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

On the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front view ofl a blank which, after folding, constitutes the body of an album leaf embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the hinge structure forming a part of the album leaf.

Fig. 3 is a front view of one of the framing mats. Y

Fig. 4 is a front View of an album leaf with a picture therein but without the framing mat.

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 4 with the framing mat in place.

Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 are enlarged fragmentary sectional views taken respectively along the lines 6 6, 1 1, 8 8, 9 9 and IIl I0 of Fig. 4.

Fig. l1 is a view similar to Fig. 9 but showing an alternative construction.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken along the line I2 I2 of Fig. 5.

A duplex album leaf embodying the invention includes a body which comprises two similar rectangular front and rear cardboard sections which are parallel with each other and which are preferably spaced apart by a small distance. The term cardboard is used in a generic sense and is intended to include any suitable relatively stiff but nevertheless somewhat flexible sheet material.

The two body sections may be variously formed and connected, but as shown in Fig. 1 there is preferably provided a blank cardboard sheet I0 which upon folding constitutes the body of the album leaf. The blank I0 comprises two similar front and rear sections I2 and I4 which are integral with each other and which are connected along a vertical folding zone. The said sections I2 and I4 are of the same size and are preferably approximately square. Vertical scoring is provided at the folding zone between the two sections to permit the section I4 to be folded rearwardly and toward the left along the scoring so as to be positioned at the rear of the section I2. The folded blank is shown in Fig. 4. Preferably a single score line I6 is provided at the front and two spaced score lines I8, I8 are provided at the rear. The arrangement and spacing of the score lines causes the sections I2 and I4 to be spaced from each other after folding. The two sections are spaced apart by a distance approximately equal to the thickness of the blank.

The last above-mentioned spacing is shown in Fig. 6. It will be understood however that in Fig. 6 and in the other cross sectional views the dimensions in the direction of thickness are not exactly to scale, being in most instances somewhat exaggerated.

The blank I is provided at the top and at the bottom with integral tabs 20 and 22 which extend respectively upwardly and downwardly. Each tab is connected to one of the body sections and preferably they are connected to the same section, as for instance the section I2. The tab 26 is adapted to be folded rearwardly and downwardly along a score line 24 to a position behind and in face-to-face relationship with the section I2 as indicated at 2lia and is more clearly shown in Fig. 7. be folded rearwardly and upwardly along ascore line 26 to a position behind and in face-to-face elationship with the section I2 as indicated at The tabs 2U and 22 are first folded as described to the positions 2)a and 22a and thereafter the section I4 is folded as described to bring it into engagement with the rear faces of the` folded tabs, as shown in Fig. '7. The section I4 is held in engagement with the tabs by pasting. When the blank has been folded and pasted as described, the two sections I2 and I4 thereof are adjacent each other but are spaced apart by a distance equal tothe thickness of the tabs. After folding and pasting metallic corner clips 28, 28 may be applied at the upper and. lower right corners.

As shown more particularly in Figs. 1 and 8,

the album leaf also includes a hinge structure generally indicated at 30. The hinge structure includes a long narrow binding strip 32 of cardboard or other suitable stiff material, this strip being relatively thick and extending vertically from the top to the bottom of the hinge structure. A vertical zone 34 of flexible material such as cloth or paper is provided adjacent the binding strip 32. Preferably and as shown, a sheet36 of flexible material is Wrapped around the strip 32, being pasted thereto. Portions of the sheet 36 extend toward the right from the strip 32, these portions being in contact along the saidvertical zone 34l and being pasted to each other. A relatively thin spacer strip 38 is provided, this strip being formed of cardboard or other suitablestiff material and extending from the top tothe bottom of the: hinge structure. The right portions of the flexible sheet 36 are at thefront and` rear faces of the strip 38 and are pasted thereto.

Holes 46, 40 are provided in the strip 32 and in the flexible sheet 36 for receiving studs or posts forming a part 0f an album binderor cover which may be of conventional' design. It will be seen that the contacting portions of the exible'sheet 36 atthe zone 34 between the strips 32 and' 38 constitute a flexible hinge element'.

After the blank iii has been' folded and pasted as described and after the hinge structure has been formed as described, the right portion of the hinge structure is inserted in the space at the left.. portion of the folded blank between the spaced front and rear sections. I2 and I4 thereof, as shown in Figs. 4 and 8. The parts are pasted so asto be held in their assembled relationship. The. binding strip 32v in the. lef-t portion of 'the hinge structure is adjacent and spaced from the vertical edge of the. main body and the flexible material in the zone 34 is interposed between the binding strip and the saidedge of the body. Thus the main body comprising the folded blank ishingedly connected at the zone 34 with the left portion ofthe hingestructure, whichportion of the hinge structure, is adapted tobe connected with an album binder or cover.A

Similarly, the tab 22 is adapted to:

The front body section I2 is provided with four similar cuts 42, 42 which are preferably arcuate. The cuts 42, 42 are near the corners of the section I2 and are at the corners of a square. Each of the cuts 42, 42 has its concave side toward the center of the section I2, and each cut outlines a deflectable tongue 44. Preferably a notch 46 is provided at the concave side 'of' each cut 42 and within the tongne'dfi. Similar cuts, tongues and notches are provided in the rear body section I4. In order to provide suincient spaces for the several cuts 42, 42, the tabs 20 and 22 are preferably relatively narrowV near their ends. For the same reason the spacing strip 38 of the hinge structure is preferably relatively narrow near its ends. The cuts 42, 42 in each body section are adapted for receiving the corner portions of a framing mat as hereinafter described.

Means are provided on the respective body sections I2 and I4 for directly locating and holding on the outer face of each of them aphotographic print having a predetermined size smaller than the square at lthe corners of which the cuts 42, 4-2 are located. The last aforesaid means are adapted for locating prints of oblong shape and each of the said means is constructed and ar.- ranged to hold the corresponding print either in horizontal position in the same general location or in vertical position. Each print is accurately located and is located andv held entirely independently of the corresponding framing mat.

The means for locating and holdingl the photographic prints may be varied but the said means preferably comprises two pairs of notches in each a. of the respective body sections, the notches of one pair in each section being positioned to receive diagonally opposite corner `portions of a print in horizontal position andthe notches of the other pair in each section being positioned to. alternatively receive diagonally opposite corner portions of a print in vertical position. Referring particularly to Fig. l, ythe notches in the body section I2 for locating and holdingv a print such as 48 in horizontal position are shown at 56 and 52 and the notches for locating and holding an alternative print 54 in vertical position are shown atSGand 58. Similarly the body section I4 is provided withnotches 6U' and 62 for locating. and holding a second print 64' inhorizontal position and with notches 66 and 68 for locating and holding, any alternative print in vertical position. From the foregoing description it will be apparent that two photographic prints of the same predetermined. size and shape may be mounted on the album leaf, one at the front thereof and the other at the rear thereof. Either print may be in horizontal position or in vertical position.

Transparent cover sheets 'I'Ilv and 'I2 having the same size as the prints are ordinarily placed, at the fronts of the prints to protect them, the prints and ythe cover sheets being both located and held in place by the notches. The transparent sheets are shown in Figs. 9 and l0. Ordinarily each print` and the corresponding cover sheet are put in. place at the same time, one corner being first inserted in one notch. The print and cover sheetv are flexed to enable the diagonally opposite corner to be inserted in the other notch.

In order that the prints and the cover sheets may remain flat after entry in the notches, the body section is provided with raisedor'offsetportions 'I4, 'I4 adjacent the respective notches. One offset portion 'I4 is shown inv Fig. 9, and another offset portion 'E4 is shown in Fig. 10. The said oiTset portions provide recesses into which the corner portions of the prints and cover sheets extend while remaining fiat, thus avoiding permanent flexing of the cover portions with resultant outward bulging of the main portions of the prints and cover sheets.

It will be observed particularly from 4 that the notches 50, 90 and 59 and the corresponding oiiset portions itl, M of the body section I4 are so located that they are out of register with the notches 50, 52, 55 and 58 and the corresponding offset portions lil, it of the cody section l2. This avoids the increased total thickness of the album leaf which would result ir the several offset portions lil, 'Ed o1 the two body sections were in register with each other.

While it is ordinarily sufcient to engage each print and the corresponding cover sheet only at the diagonally opposite corners thereof, it may under some circumstances be desirable to provide eight additional notches Z5 so that each print and cover sheet may be held at all four corners, either in horizontal position or in Vertical position. The drawing does not show all of the eight additional notches but one such notch is shown in Fig. 11, which is similar to Fig. 9 except for the additional notch itl.

Two similar front and rear framing mats lli, 78 are provided, one of them being shown in Fig. 3. Each mat "i8 is square, except that the corners are preferably rounded. A rectangular opening 9i; is provided in each mat is, this opening having approximately the saine size and shape as the prints 43, 5d and 5ft but slightly smaller. Each mat may be ornainentally em bossed at the edges of the opening dit.

After a print l5 or 5d and its cover sheet have been positioned in the locating notches in the body section l2 as described, one of the framing mats is put in place over it as shown in the mat being turned so that the opening 50 is horizontal or vertical as required. In the positioning of the framing sheet the corner portions thereof are inserted in the cuts ft2, ft2, the tongues 44, lil being slightly flexed as shown in Fig. 12. It will be understood that the mat i9 must be flexed in order to permit its corner portions to be inserted as described. Similarly, after the print 54 or an alternative vertical print has been positioned in the locating notches in the body section ll, the other framing mat is put in place over it, the mat being turned so that the opening 80 is horizontal or vertical as required.

The described spacing between the body sections I2 and lll provides room for the insertion of the corner portions of one framing mat 10. When the second framing mat is put in place the immediately adjacent portions of the two body sections l2 and I4 are forced apart slightly as shown.

The framing mats cover the edges of the prints and also cover the several print locating notches, but they do not in any way serve to locate or hold the prints. The prints are located and held solely by the several notches in the body sections.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a duplex album leaf for photographic prints, the combination of a body comprising two similar rectangular front and rear cardboard sections parallel with each other which sections are firmly connected with each other, means for spacing the major portions of the areas of said sections, cuts in each of the body sections near the corners thereof and at the corners of a square, two pairs of notches in each of the respective body sections for directly locating and holding on the outer face of each of them a photographic print having a predetermined size ller than the corresponding aforesaid square and having an oblong shape, the notches of one pair in each section being positioned to receive diagonally opposite corner portions of a print in horizontal position and in a predetermined general location and the notches of the other pair in each section being positioned to alternatively receive diagonally opposite corner portions of a print in vertical position in the saine general location, and front and rear square cardboard framing mats each of such size 'that it may be connected to the outer face of the corresponding body section by the insertion of its corner portions in the said cuts in the said body section and be accommodated in the space between said sections, each mat having an oblong opening therein which is of approximately the same size and shape as the corresponding print and which is so located that the said print is visible through lthe said opening when the print is located and held by the corresponding notches and when the corner portions of the mat are inserted in the corresponding cuts and each mat by reason of its square shape being adapted to be connected to body member with the oblong opening in the mat either in horizontal position or in vertical position according to the position of the corresponding print.

2. A duplex album leaf for photographic prints as set forth in claim l, wherein each body section is provided adjacent each print receiving notch with an outwardly offset portion which provides a recess into which the corresponding corner portion of the print may extend with the print nat, and wherein the print receiving notches and the corresponding offset portions of each body section are out of register with the print receiving notches and the corresponding offset portions of the other body section.

WALTER A. MCCABE.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 359,670 vEvans Mar. 22, 18187 387,629 Dittmar Aug. 14, 1888 595,467 Bruns Dec. 14, 1897 912,656 Engstron Feb. 16, 1909 934,333 Morris Sept. 14, 1909 1,680,299 Mabee Aug. 14, 1928 1,832,249 Schulz Nov. 17, 1931 2,152,063 Klumb Mar. 28, 1939 2,247,122 France et al. June 24, 1941 2,568,178 Widder Sept. 18, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 397,035 France 1909 26,521 Great Britain 1912 500,226 Great Britain 1939 

